


The Valentine Coffee

by ReizJaruu13



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Humor, Love Potion AU, M/M, People with constipated emotions acting dumb crazy and cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 19:06:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6021433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReizJaruu13/pseuds/ReizJaruu13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If he (aka Yamaguchi) wasn't completely broke and in desperate need of a job (mostly to provide his son, Tobio, a bright future) he would have reached out and choked Mr. Apathetic-Asshole-Boss (aka Tsukishima) with the neatly printed paper that he had just compared to the human excrement. He would HAPPILY spend the rest of his life in jail for that satisfaction. But he loved Tobio-chan too much to do that to him, so he quietly bobbed his head in apology. </p><p>He needed this job. And sometimes, needing a job meant that you had to humor the boss as well.</p><p>...</p><p>Or an AU where there are mean boss Tsukishima, worn out of his shit employee Yamaguchi and an unsuspecting sachet of powdered love potion. Sounds easy, right?</p><p>Well, except when it isn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Valentine Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, soooooo this is my 'debut' for the Haikyuu!! fandom. I've been stalking (and fangirling and screaming and shouting and fainting and--) this tag in a while now. And TsukiYama is my ultimate OTP.
> 
> If I could just have one wish and make them and all my other OTPs canon...
> 
> Anyway, this is my late contribution for the Valentine's Day! Enjoy, guys!

Golden eyes narrowed, before swiveling to stare at him in disgust. "What is this shit?"

 

Yamaguchi froze, his mouth falling open while one of his eyes twitched in shock. At the back of his battered, beaten, thoroughly abused brain he could feel the beginnings of a headache, his mind practically refusing to accept the fact that his boss had just called his work - a manuscript that he had slaved over for days now - shit. Yes, shit. Like capital S. H. I. T.

 

Un-fucking-believable.

 

"I-It's... It's a..." he tried to answer, attempting to hurl a snappy reply - a witty, scathing one-liner sentence that could render bitchy enemies silent, just like in movies back into his boss' face as a way of reply. 

 

Key fucking word: Tried.

 

Instead, all that he seemed to be able to come up with was a series of incoherent syllables strung together in a manner that not even a language expert or a high tech com decoder would be able to decipher. 

 

Because sadly, this is not a chick flick movie, where the harassed, overworked employee wages war against their oppressive bosses (particularly bosses who have the time of their lives torturing them). And Yamaguchi himself is not some bold, intelligent heroine that's not afraid to speak her mind.

 

No. He's just a shaky boy of 25, a hundred percent certified virgin, just four years out of college and suffering from a crippling stutter and severe self-esteem issues, most of which were caused by said boss.

 

"A piece of shit, yes, we settled on that already, Mr. Yamaguchi. I mean, even a moron could know," Tsukishima provided, his employer’s piercing golden eyes peering out at him from behind his spectacles. "But what I want to know is what type of shit is it? A cow's? A bull's? Mind enlightening me?" he asked, his lips curving upwards slightly as Yamaguchi's olive-colored eyes widened in horror.

 

He even had the gall to smirk like that?! Where the hell did this man get such a large ego?! Because Yamaguchi is fairly certain that one-liner has just destroyed all that remained of his own fragile one.

 

If he wasn't completely broke and in desperate need of a job (mostly to provide his son, Tobio, a bright future) he would have reached out and choked Mr. Apathetic-Asshole-Boss with the neatly printed paper that he had just compared to the human excrement. He would HAPPILY spend the rest of his life in jail for that satisfaction. But he loved Tobio-chan too much to do that to him, so he quietly bobbed his head in apology. 

 

He needed this job. And sometimes, needing a job meant that you had to humor the boss as well.

 

"Sir...I-Im working very hard and I- I'm doing my very, very best to come up with a decent report, I--"

 

"Your best?" Tsukishima asked, one platinum blonde eyebrow ascending and almost disappearing above his hairline. It never ceased to amaze Yamaguchi at how such a simple gesture could convey so much infuriatingly patronizing criticism. "Is this what you could call your best? If so, why are you even here?"

 

W-What?! What the fuck?! 

 

Was his boss seriously this callous?

 

Yamaguchi had fought tooth and claw against long lines of people ordering at the café just to get Tsukishima's coffee this morning ("You're not going to order at any other coffee shop and I want my cup black. Disobey any of those and you'll surely kiss your job goodbye"), delivered one pile of folders after another between offices (most of which were easily kilometers away from each other, no sweat) and had even began working overnight shifts just for the chance of some extra money!

 

And he dared to question why he was here?

 

Seriously, fuck him.

 

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't work hard enough. I'll try harder!" He apologized, bowing lowly. 

 

Of course, he would never dare insult a superior, even though it was really Tsukishima who should be apologizing.

 

It didn't help that Tsukishima was unlike any of Yamaguchi's previous employers: he had an extensive vocabulary whenever it came to doling out the variety of insults he made on a daily basis (most often directed at Yamaguchi). His platinum blonde, short-cropped hair had rapidly become the bane of Yamaguchi's existence (every morning, the moment he spotted that particular bob of hair, he could practically sense doom approaching).

 

His golden, beige-hued eyes were so piercing that staring at them for long enough had a very high likelihood of destroying the majority of his brain cells. And his eyebrows, despite being relatively thin, had the amazing ability to fly up into his hairline in a manner that was both derogatory and patronizing at the same time (and if after being subjected to that kind of expression, it wouldnt be surprising if you suffered from a temporary breakdown). 

 

Being his underling was indeed Yamaguchi's gravest mistake. If other people could describe their boss as a merciless lion, Yamaguchi could describe Tsukishima as a godzilla.

 

"You'd better," the blonde said dismissively, before turning away from Yamaguchi (and thus sparing his life) and looking back down at the papers laid out on his desk.

 

Yamaguchi let out soundless sigh of exhaustion, before turning about and silently exiting the office, feeling as if he were some failed nameless (unimportant, insignificant, incompetent, all of the negative adjectives you could think of) soldier that had been dismissed by a might general.

 

...

 

"Ugh..." Yamaguchi moaned as he stared down at the thick stack of papers Tsukishima had just rejected, trying to determine the direction his life was taking. Honestly, this wasn't the only manuscript in need of serious editing. There were still a lot of mangas and books waiting to be revised, reconstructed, and discussed with the other authors.

 

The manga he was currently redrafting, though, was from a very prestigious author. It had been an honor to be the one entrusted to take care of such a masterpiece! As a matter of fact, Yamaguchi himself was a fan, and had even begun to collect some of the author's art pieces, works, and merchandise even before the author had attained any degree of popularity. 

 

Even now, working at this hellish job, he still took the time to save up some of his hard-earned money in order to buy the most recent volumes. 

 

Working on such a project came alongside a great deal of personal responsibility, however, and it really didn't help that Tsukishima was being an even bigger asshole than normal.

 

"Tough day?" a loud voice asked from behind him, sending the freckled editor scrambling in fright as he was startled out of his reverie. Spinning about, Yamaguchi blinked as he came face to face with a blindingly wide grin, a pair of brilliant orange eyes, and matching orange hair.

 

Yamaguchi sighed in relief. 

 

It was just Hinata Shōyō, one of the recently hired betas of the company. 

 

Hinata was a college student, just a few years younger than Yamaguchi himself, who had applied for an internship at Karasuno Corporation. Seeing as how he had already been accredited by several reliable sources as an up and coming star in the writing field, his application had been almost immediately accepted. 

 

Hinata was tasked with refining the texture of the panels and columns, revising the proportions of the shapes, and other such technical elements of the manga (such as choosing the right hue to use for the characters and the backgrounds). Customarily, Hinata met with his designated author about twice or three times a week to talk over his suggested adjustments.

 

Lucky shrimp.

 

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," the freckled editor groaned, before turning back around and slamming his face down onto his desk. Making their conversation easier (as well as both of their lives) was completely out of the question for him right now.

 

He really couldn't deal with Hinata's joyful, sunshine-and-puppies attitude right now. Now, don't get Yamaguchi wrong: Hinata was probably his favorite person in the office. It's just that the guy looked and acted like what would happen if a firework somehow managed to transform into a human.

 

His alabaster skin seemed to almost never be discolored or rumpled (a common trait for office workers under stressful situations) while his face was almost constantly overflowing with smiles and expressions of joy and glee. Plus his never ending energy and inability to sit still could sometimes be grating on those who weren't used to it, and would often lead to some amusing antics involving climbing on top of the walls of cubicles.

 

Plus, Hinata was athletic (and flexible) as fuck! Honestly, it was baffling how someone so small could be packed so full of energy! Sometimes Yamaguchi wondered that if he were to take a pin and poke a hole in the hyperactive ginger, all that excess power would come whooshing out of him in a flurry of wind and light. Maybe it could even incinerate Tsukishima!

 

'If only, if only,' Yamaguchi thought with a grumble.

 

Hinata perked up, his instincts flaring as he stared at the back of the exhausted greenette's head. Leaning over, the orange-head took a small peek at his friend's face and chortled, his suspicions confirmed. "So, I take it Bakashima was roasting you again today, neh?" he asked, his voice slightly needling but not mocking. Yamaguchi's cowlick bobbed as he finally brought his face upward, staring and visibly cringing at his friend's overwhelmingly bright aura.

 

"Yeah... he moaned, stretching his arms above his head in an effort to reinvigorate the blood flow. And I've never felt better in my life," Yamaguchi huffed, his voice laced heavily with sarcasm and annoyance, prompting another giggle from Hinata.

 

"It's been really fortunate for me though! Usually the interns are the ones to get fried by the big bosses," the ginger snickered, his orange eyes dancing with a teasing glint. "I guess the Boss just loves you so much that he forgets to pay attention to us new-comers!"

 

That's true. Tsukishima was normally too preoccupied making Yamaguchi's existence a living hell to waste his time intimidating the newbies, even though he had no doubt that in five minutes the blonde could have every single intern in the company pissing their pants and running home to their mommies.

 

In fact, according to Yamaguchi's analysis, Tsukishima had indeed been born to make every person he encountered as miserable as he or she could be (it's his happiness actually, and who is Yamaguchi to hinder Tsukishima's kind of bliss?). All of them (employees, interns, contractors, advisors, board members, and even superiors) had their own share of memories about facing down Tsukishima's attitude on a day to day basis. 

 

It just so happened that Yamaguchi was the lucky lottery winner who was destined to carry the extra baggage. 

 

"Uh-huh? So that's why we're friends?" Yamaguchi asked lightly, staring unimpressed at Hinata's smiling visage. "You're just using me to spare your life, Sho-chan? How dare you?" he said, before reaching out to flick the gingers forehead.

 

Hinata let out a yelp of pain, before scratching his head while a smile once again formed upon his face. Hahahaha! It's not my fault! I guess he's just really in love with your-- Aaaaah! Yama-shan! My cheeksh hurt! Shtap!" Hinata squeaked in surprise as another hand shot up to squeeze the life out of his cheeks.

 

"And that, young man, is what you get when you mess with Yamaguchi Tadashi!" the editor quietly proclaimed, puffing his chest out in pride and dignity. Two things that Tsukishima could strip from him in mere seconds.

 

But he's not going to think about that right now. He needs to focus on the more important matters, like the manuscript that needed to be reconstructed from point zero and the afternoon coffee that he has to provide for Tsukishima's survival for the rest of the day--

 

"Shit!" Yamaguchi suddenly exclaimed, smacking his own forehead at his carelessness.

 

"What's wrong, Yama-chan?" Hinata inquired, alarmed at the green-haired male's abrupt shift in attitude.

 

There were two coffees needed to be delivered inside Tsukishima's office every single day without fail if the survival of the entire floor was to be ensured. First, there was the morning coffee Tsukishima took before starting each day. Eliminate that from the equation and the boss would be like a menopausal middle aged lady on her period (and ten times crankier), much to Yamaguchi's chagrin (it doesn't help that he's always at the receiving end of the blonde's mood-swings). The greenhead however, had no troubles acquiring this one at the prescribed cafe as long as he was early.

 

The second coffee was much more challenging to attain, though. Tsukishima needed it every day at exactly ten minutes after his lunch, on the dot. Without it, Tsukishima would just turn into a hollow shell that worked three times slower and four times lazier than usual. If Yamaguchi didn't get that cup of coffee, most of the works would probably not be published before or on the deadline.

 

Acquiring this coffee, however, was where the true battle lay. It didn't matter how early in the afternoon one arrived at the shop, you were still forced to spend at least ten minutes in line. It wasnt a problem if he wasnt in a rush, but when you have a boss like Tsukishima, then it most certainly was.

 

And he couldn't just buy the two coffees in the morning, for the one time he did that the afternoon coffee had been spoiled by the microwave (because Tsukishima had complained that the taste just wasn't the same anymore).

 

"N-Nothing, Hinata!" Yamaguchi said hurriedly, reaching out to grab his wallet and coat before standing up from his desk. "I just need to buy Tsukishima-san his coffee before he comes here hunting for my head!"

 

And after a mad dash towards the door, Yamaguchi was gone in pursuit of afternoon coffee.

 

...

 

It's February.

 

Yamaguchi had belatedly realized this fact upon arriving at the Tasty Delights and Hot Coffees cafe. 

 

Everything (and he meant everything) was clad in a shade of red: the tables, the chairs, the walls, the counter, and even the waiter's attire! Valentine themed paraphernalia hung from the ceiling, a heart shaped pillow cushioned every seat, and Yamaguchi's eyes were close to bleeding red too. 

 

He took a step towards the very end of the line, silently reminiscing about the emptiness in his recent relationship record.

 

Come to think of it, the background and the atmosphere was purposely mocking him. He didn't experience romance at first hand. Well, he had a kid, that's true, but Tobio was not his biological son (though he made sure the child didn't feel anything less of that). 

 

During middle school, when some students were developing bonds and friendships, Yamaguchi was still stuck in his withdrawn, loner behavior. When some of his classmates started spending nights at their best friend's houses, Yamaguchi couldn't go anywhere thanks to his status as the insecure, mediocre, petite student who always got bullied.

 

During high school, when it is the most common time for the blossoming of first loves, crushes and puberty, Yamaguchi had found solace in mangas and books. He spent his extra hours on rooftops and under the cool shades of trees reading works from his favorite authors, and losing himself in the stories held within.

 

During his first years in the company, he was utterly determined to live his life out the rest of his life minding his own business and avoiding connections with any other people.

 

Everything changed when Hinata (aka Mr. Ball of Sunshine) came on as an intern. Their personalities crashed terribly; he was loud, stubborn, clumsy, bouncy, and had no sense of personal space.

 

At first, Yamaguchi had taken to hiding whenever the orange haired youth was around, but that rapidly proved to be futile, what with Hinata's almost supernatural instincts and awareness. And besides, even when Yamaguchi did manage to evade him, Hinata never gave up. The ginger haired teen followed him around every, like a damn puppy, wearing the shy and remote editor down until he eventually caved in began to tolerate his presence, maybe even considering him as more than a (very noisy) acquaintance.

 

Before the freckled young-man knew quite what was happening, he and Hinata were becoming fast friends.

 

And so Hinata became the first to succeed in pulling Yamaguchi out of his shell. He was the one who taught Yamaguchi how to approach and talk to other people. But most importantly, he was the one who made Yamaguchi finally experience the joy of having a best friend.

 

And the greenhead never once regretted his decision to trust him.

 

Drowned in his reminiscent thoughts, Yamaguchi didnt realize that it was his turn to order already until the cashiers voice alerted him to that fact.

 

"Welcome to Tasty Delights and Hot Coffees! May I take your order, sir?" Sugawara (Yamaguchi quickly read the name off his uniform) asked, his voice a pleasant and soothing chirp.

 

"O-Oh! Sorry! C--C..." yes, that's it Yamaguchi, way to go on your (non-existent) communication skills. "C-Can I order t-two cups of c-coffee?" he managed to get out, fumbling for his wallet while the silver-haired male watched him with soothing brown eyes.

 

"How would you like them to be brewed, sir?" Sugawara asked, his million watt smile unwavering and blinding (and doing nothing to ease Yamaguchi's nerves).

 

"Umm... I--I want one to have cream and two cubes o-of sugar and the other one... I... I-I want it b-black," like your heart, Tsukishima, black. He uttered the last phrase with remorse at the very back of his mind, promising himself that he had to be dead and buried before he would allow himself to speak that statement aloud.

 

"Okay! Your order should be ready in a minute!" The silver haired man chirped, typing the order into the register before glancing back up at the next customer.

 

And just as Sugawara said, the coffee arrived quickly. The pale man punched the price into the machine and handed the customer his change, his smile never once wavering from his face. Yamaguchi, upon receiving his newly brewed coffees, stared at something peculiar perched inside the carton. It was a palm-sized, reddish aluminum pack that looked like it contained something powdery when Yamaguchi gently shook it.

 

Sugawara must have noticed his perplexed look because he coughed a little in order to recapture Yamaguchis attention. "Uhmm... The old lady from our neighborhood said that these packs are for good fortune in love. You can pour them into your beverage or food and share it with your crush or lover! She said it could miraculously trigger a chemistry between both of you! It's not that I'm completely believing in it, but she gave me hundreds of them! he said, scratching the back of his head while chuckling in a 'What-can-you-do?' gesture. 

 

“Don't worry, though! he continued reassuringly. “The manager had them tested and confirmed that theyre harmless! And I just thought that maybe this could provide a variety in our services for the occasion! You could return it if you want!" he said hastily, his eyes widening apologetically upon his last sentence.

 

"N-No! I... I-It's perfectly fine!" Yamaguchi interrupted. If this was one of their gimmicks, then there's nothing wrong trying it out, right? Maybe this could somehow help him determine the reason as to why Tsukishima would roast him alive if he ever bought coffee from a café other than this.

 

The pretty-looking guy casted him another blinding smile, his cheeks flushing slight pink, "Well then, enjoy!" he said in reply, and Yamaguchi blushed as well before bowing and turning away.

 

He's not desperate to fall in love. The reason why he brought the small pack along with the coffees was not because he's that petty to find someone who'll accept and return his affections, build a new house with a car and ten Labrador pups and grow old spending the rest of their lives kicking each other's asses and laughing like there's no tomorrow. Nope. Not at all. He's pretty content with his life right now.

 

And besides, it's not like it would work anyway.

 

...

 

"Good fortune in love~" Yamaguchi sang on the way back to his building, drawing several odd looks from passing pedestrians. Humming happily to himself as he strode towards his destination, the freckled editor opened the packet and poured all the contents in his own coffee. The powdered substance glittered like fairy dust as it settled into the dark liquid, the minute pink crystalline structures glistening brightly under the beams of direct sunlight.

 

When he entered the building through the automated glass door, he promptly made his way towards Tsukishima's office, silently praying that he wasn't too late. Yamaguchi put his own half-consumed drink back inside the carton, before knocking softly on the oaken door.

 

"Come in," came the reply, Tsukishima's tone just barely hovering between bored and annoyed, indicating that Yamaguchi had indeed made it in time.

 

Yamaguchi slowly opened the door with a dull creak, before popping his head around the edge to observe the interior of the office (which he had honestly seen way too much to be considered normal. Seriously, he had practically memorized every nook and cranny of the place). 

 

Sitting on a swivel chair and typing on his laptop furiously was a disheveled, close to destruction Tsukishima Kei. His glasses were askew and his hair looked a lot like a rat's nest. The height of the papers stacked up on his elongated, obsidian desk was so high that it made them appear more like miniature Greek pillars: thick, white, and immovable.

 

"Oh, so you've came back," Tsukishima mumbled sleepily as his golden eyes found their way towards Yamaguchis own olive orbs. "I thought you might have filed a resignation letter and ran home to mommy," he said. Even in his weakened state, Tsukishima could still fill the part of the eternal asshole, even though his insult did seem to lack some of its normal bite.

 

"I-I really n-need th-this j... job, sir..." Yamaguchi stammered, his confidence once again easily destroyed, while his eyes moved away, unable to meet Tsukishima's.

 

The blonde rolled his eyes, before taking his hands off the keyboard and turning to firmly fix Yamaguchi with his intense-as-fuck focus. "Have you finished the other manuscripts?" he asked, changing the topic easily and seamlessly. Tsukishima had always been very adept at doing that, making it very hard to stay ahead in any conversation with him. He was a manipulation master, who could irritate his enemies, persuade shareholders, and maneuver conversations in any which way he wanted to, all the while baring only his normal calm and apathetic façade.

 

"U-Uhm, i-it's in my bag," The greenhead stuttered, distractedly depositing the small box he's been holding on Tsukishima's table. "A-And... I think I left it in the other office, I-I'm going to get it! I'll be right b-back!" Without thinking of anything, Yamaguchi sprinted away wildly. The blonde didn't like delays (hated them really), and if you didn't want your head bitten off, it was best to give him exactly what he wanted as soon as possible.

 

Even if that did mean making a fool of yourself by sprinting across the office, looking as if a pack of wild hyenas were coming for your blood.

 

"Y-Yama-chan? Everything alright?" Hinata asked as he caught a glimpse of the frenzied Yamaguchi Tadashi, the bright orange bob of hair popping up from his workplace.

 

“I-I'm alright, Sho-chan!" Yamaguchi strained a smile, snatching his messenger bag from off the table of his own office cubicle and dashing away.

 

The moss haired man panted as he made it back to Tsukishima's quarters, the bag held tightly against his chest as he once again opened the door to the office. He could see that Tsukishima had already taken the initiative, and was comfortably sipping at his own coffee.

 

However, Yamaguchi observed that every time he took a sip from it, Tsukishima would cringe away slightly, his face twisting in distaste. His brows were furrowed and his lips were pinched into a thin line, before he turned to fix Yamaguchi with a hate filled glare.

 

The young mans stomach plummeted. Tsukishima never cringed while drinking his coffee. His black, as black as his heart, coffee.

 

Ever.

 

"Why does my coffee taste like this?" Tsukishima asked, his doom-filled aura beginning to leak off of his body and growing larger with every second. "You've been doing this for years now, havent you? How could you possibly screw this up? Did you hit your head or something?" he barked, his teeth set into a wrathful snarl.

 

Yamaguchi paled visibly. How? Why? He had ordered Tsukishima's black coffee exactly as per usual. There was simply no way that the waiters could have mixed up the orders because Yamaguchi had even watched the brewing process from beginning to end! There was no way... 

 

Unless--

 

Unless what Tsukishima was drinking was actually Yamaguchi's, with cream and two cubes of sugar. And also with the powdered, glittery whatnot from the aluminum sachet that was for--

 

Good fortune in love. To be shared with crushes and lovers. Could miraculously create a chemistry between the one you shared your cup with.

 

Oh.

 

Damn.

 

Damn to the hundredth power of hell.

 

***

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos? Comments? *sheepishly smiles*
> 
> Go easy on me, yeah?


End file.
